Was Eve vain?

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ICXCNIKA

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In the book Reading the Old Testament by Lawrence Bodt, it says “The Yahwist creates a masterpiece of psychological insight here, with the serpent hinting that great things are possible and playing upon Eve’s vanity” (119).

Could Eve have been vain before the fall? Is vanity a sin? How could she demonstrate vanity before the fall?
 
Hi ICX,

Obviously Eve had to have the intention of sinning before she actually sinned. Our first parents were free from concupiscence but in this particular instance God allowed them to be tested. Just like the angels who, in principle cannot sin, but were also tested.

Pride is usually given as the cause fo the Fall. Something like wanting to be like God. That, I suppose is a kind of vanity.

Verbum
 
I don’t think Eve had any vain thoughts or desires untill the serpent opened a vision of reality to have an evil desire for and consequently to give birth to sin.
 
The serpent played upon the idea that curiousity/intrigue about so called ‘secret’ knowledge is a hook that seldom fails.

“Vanity, definitely my favourite sin… You sharpen the human appetite to the point where it can split atoms with its desire; you build egos the size of cathedrals; fiber-optically connect the world to every eager impulse; grease even the dullest dreams with these dollar-green, gold-plated fantasies, until every human becomes an aspiring emperor, becomes his own God… and where can you go from there?”
  • Al Pacino as Satan in The Devils Advocate
Man will continue to fail miserably in his attempts to usurp God.
 
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